[2] Orlando Pizzolato, a two-time New York Marathon winner, was present to inaugurate the race in 1984.

[4] Italians form the bulk of the runners, while France, Germany and the United Kingdom are usually the next most represented nationalities in the field.

[4] The 2020 edition of the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, with all registrants given the option of registering for 2021, 2022, or 2023 for free.

[8][3] The bends and cobblestone roads made for a particularly difficult marathon and this led to the change in 2011 for an easier, faster race.

It passes through much of Florence's historical town centre, with architecture dating from the 13th century, including: Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, and the Basilica of Santa Croce.